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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29169720">Of Charms and Magic</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxDustNight88/pseuds/xxDustNight88'>xxDustNight88</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Dust for Fingerprints [9]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Sherlock (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, First Kiss, Fluff, One Shot</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-20 18:48:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,139</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29169720</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxDustNight88/pseuds/xxDustNight88</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/146849789@N04/50903028688/in/dateposted-public/"></a><br/>It seems Hermione and Mycroft have the same idea when it comes to their fake relationship.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hermione Granger/Mycroft Holmes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Dust for Fingerprints [9]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1405897</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Birthday Bonanza, Hermione's Haven Bingo 2021, Tropes and Fandoms 2021</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Of Charms and Magic</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/aleysiasnape/gifts">aleysiasnape</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This was written for the ever magical AleysiaSnape. I hope you have the happiest of birthdays! Thank you for giving me the opportunity to write this fun, new pairing. Much love, xxDustNight! </p><p>Much love to starrnobella for reading this over and to GaeilgeRua for allowing me to use her Grammarly subscription . Any other mistakes you find are my own Much love, xxDustNight!</p><p>Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. Sherlock belongs to PBS &amp; BBC America. No copyright infringement is intended. No profit is being made from this creation.</p><p>Prompt: #HHBingo2021 Square O4: Fake Dating<br/>#TropesAndFandoms21 1/23 Regular Square: Fake Dating</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"I honestly don't know how you put up with that man," Ginny mumbled, idly flipping through the latest copy of <em>Witch Weekly</em>. "He's worse than his brother."</p><p>Hermione took a deep breath and exhaled before turning away from her closet. She was looking for something to wear for the evening. "Mycroft isn't nearly as bad as everyone always makes him out to be."</p><p>Ginny pulled a face. "He reminds me of Percy," she muttered, flipping another page. Smirking, she slowly glanced up at Hermione. "You always did like my brother…"</p><p>Rolling her eyes, Hermione said, "It's not like that, Gin." She went back to sifting through her party dresses. "He and I just get each other. We both work in government and actually manage to have civil conversations, unlike Sherlock and I. We're just pretending to be a couple, so his parents and mine leave us both alone about marriage and babies."</p><p>"Sherlock seems more your style," Ginny pointed out, licking the tip of her finger before dramatically turning the page. "If you ask my opinion."</p><p>Snorting, Hermione shot the witch a glare. "You know as well as I do, Sherlock is in love with Draco."</p><p>"Pity," Ginny mumbled with a frown. "You two would make beautiful babies."</p><p>"Are you going to help me pick a dress or not," Hermione snapped a bit more forcefully than she meant. Truth be told, she was somewhat nervous about this evening. Sighing heavily, she said, "Sorry, it's just that tonight is a big night for Mycroft, and I want to look the part."</p><p>Sensing that Hermione was serious, Ginny closed her magazine and stood from where she was lounging on her friend's bed. She searched through the closet until smiling. Pulling the golden dress, she said, "Here. Wear this one. He won't know what hit him."</p><p>Hermione took the hanger and met Ginny's stare. "Thank you."</p><p>"You're welcome," she replied, crossing her arms. "But when you and Mycroft get married, I get to pick the bridesmaid dresses." Then, she winked and returned to the bed without another word.</p><p>Stunned, Hermione said nothing. Instead, she just shook her head and got to work preparing herself for an evening with Mycroft Holmes. If she was going to impress not only her date but everyone else, there was much work pampering to be done.</p>
<hr/><p>The evening just as grand as Hermione had expected it to be, and Mycroft… Well, he'd been enamoured with her from the time he'd picked her up at her flat until about two minutes ago when he'd been pulled away to take a call. Instead of having to dodge questions about her career and her relationship with Mycroft, Hermione had grabbed a new flute of champagne. She ventured outside to take a short break from it all.</p><p>Walking around the veranda, Hermione sipped at her champagne as feelings assaulted her heart. Ginny's earlier comment about weddings and bridesmaids drifted to the front of her mind, and she couldn't help the nervous flip of her stomach. It was true that she'd started having real feelings for Mycroft sometime ago, but that didn't mean he felt the same.</p><p>In fact, she was reasonably sure that he wasn't interested at all… Although he probably could have come to this event alone. Shaking away the silly thoughts, Hermione decided there was no use dwelling on what-ifs. From the very beginning, they agreed this would be nothing more than a permanent date to tedious government affairs so neither would have to go alone. It also stopped their parents from asking them when they planned to settle down and start a family.</p><p>For Hermione, a family had never really been in the cards. Her main goal was to become Minister of Magic before turning forty, and she was well on her way toward that goal. For Mycroft, he just wanted to continue running the country as he always did; silently from behind closed doors. They both had to attend government events, so why not do it with your friend? If people assumed you were dating, even better.</p><p>"There you are," Mycroft's voice interrupted her jumbled thoughts.</p><p>She turned to smile as he approached, tucking a wayward curl behind one ear as she did so. "I needed some fresh air. There are quite a few stuffy old gentlemen in there asking exactly what it is I do," she explained, eyes twinkling in the moonlight.</p><p>Smirking, Mycroft paused beside her, staring out at the well-manicured garden. "It might do them some good to hear of magic and charms. Perhaps then they wouldn't be so stuffy," he noted, clearly amused by his own joke.</p><p>"It sounds like you speak from experience," Hermione mused, taking another sip of the bubbly drink. She may have been flirting slightly, but there seemed to be no harm in it.</p><p>Clearing his throat, Mycroft threw a glance toward the party inside before taking a step closer to Hermione. "I'm sure I've already told you how beautiful you look tonight, Hermione," he said quietly, meeting her gaze.</p><p>Blushing slightly, Hermione ducked her head slightly before replying, "You did when you picked me up earlier this evening, but a witch never tires of hearing it."</p><p>"I'll never forget when I first found out that you were, in fact, a witch," Mycroft said, chuckling ever so slightly. "It truly changed the way I viewed the world. However, it has also made sense of many mysteries."</p><p>"Sherlock spoiled the game as he so often does," Hermione pointed out ruefully. "Sometimes he doesn't know when to stop <em>talking</em>. Although, if he hadn't outed my world, then we never would have started working together."</p><p>"This is quite true." Mycroft let the words settle for a moment before speaking again. "Do you know what he deduced earlier today?" Mycroft asked, taking another step closer to Hermione. He was now so close that Hermione could smell his expensive aftershave.</p><p>"I haven't the slightest clue," Hermione answered breathlessly as she stared up into Mycroft's eyes.</p><p>"He believes that you do," the elder Holmes brother said smugly.</p><p>"What do <em>you </em>believe?" Hermione questioned, her heart beating erratically, hopefully.</p><p>"I feel as if we've been standing on the edge of a precipice," Mycroft whispered, his hand coming up to gently tip her head backwards by the chin. "The question, Hermione, is whether or not we're ready to fall."</p><p>"I believe I already have," Hermione said, the words barely loud enough to be heard.</p><p>"As have I," he replied, before closing the space between their bodies entirely.</p><p>Eyes fluttered closed as lips met for the first time. For Hermione, it felt as if she was learning of magic and charms for the first time all over again, and she suspected as Mycroft deepened the kiss and pulled her flush against his body, that he felt the same.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>For updates and information about my other works and projects, check me out on...<br/><a href="https://www.facebook.com/xxDustNight88/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel">Facebook</a><br/><a href="https://xxdustnight88.tumblr.com/">tumblr</a><br/><a href="https://twitter.com/xxDustNight88">Twitter</a><br/><a href="https://xxdustnight88.livejournal.com/">LiveJournal</a><br/></p></blockquote></div></div>
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